Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!lethe!yunexus!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!actrix!keith
From: keith@actrix.gen.nz (Keith Stewart)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: GVP Impact Series II problems...
Message-ID: <1991Jan8.225149.26409@actrix.gen.nz>
Date: 8 Jan 91 22:51:49 GMT
References: <6721@crash.cts.com> <17174@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Organization: Actrix Information Exchange, Wellington, New Zealand
Lines: 108
Comment-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com

In article <17174@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave
Haynie) writes:
> In article <6721@crash.cts.com> johns@pro-graphics.cts.com (John
Silvia) writes:
> 
> >I called GVP, and when I finally called and didn't get their
phonemail system
> >and got a human, I explained the problem, and the guy told me that
more than
> >likely, the memory on my 030 board is detected by the GVP board, and
the GVP
> >board is trying to load it's firmware into 32bit ram to run faster,
and the
> >guy claims that the problem isn't in their board, but instead, in my
Commodore
> >2630 board (030 accelerator) since it's not making the ram available
soon
> >enough for the GVP hardware to use it.
> 
> That guy's is wigged-out!
> 
> The A2630 memory is normally autoconfigured.  Which means, the memory
is
> available at least by the time it's autoconfigured.  Since the A2630
is
> guaranteed to be the first autoconfigured device in the system, you
are
> absolutely guaranteed to have that memory available by the time the
GVP card,
> or any other normal device sitting on the expansion bus, get it's
chance at
> being configured.
> 
> In fact, unless the GVP code is doing something really strange, you
shouldn't
> be able to notice the absence of that 16 bit memory until well after
boot time.
> The A2630 memory is not only configured first, it's also the first
memory in 
> the Fast memory list.  Which means, the 16 bit memory wouldn't be
touched until
> all the 32 bit memory is used up.  So your GVP card has more than
likely been
> using your 32 bit memory all along.
> 
> >Does anyone out there know about this problem, and maybe have a cure?
 The guy
> >suggested moving the board as far from the accelerator as possible,
so that
> >the timing cycles might possibly be extended a cycle or two to fix
the
> >problem.
> 
> I don't know the new GVP card from a hill of beans.  But it sounds to
me like
> the guy you're talking to is alluding to some known noise problem with
this
> card, even though he didn't say as much.  You can't extend the length
of a
> memory cycle even a little bit by moving a card around on the bus. 
But you can
> add a little bit of capacitance to that card, which tends to make
noisy signals
> a little less noisy.  Having the second card on the bus (that 16 bit
memory 
> card) will also increase the capacitance a tad.  None of these have
any 
> direct effect on the A2630 card, which is sitting on the other side of
the 
> A2000's bus buffers, on the local bus next to the 68000.  But a
slightly flakey
> Zorro II card can change its characteristics based on slot position
and the 
> existance of any other boards on the bus.  Like I said, I don't know
anything
> about the GVP card; you may have just as well run into a software
problem of 
> some kind.  But from what this guy said to you, it sounds like they
have some
> kind of a problem they're not telling you about.
> 
> >-- John Silvia
> 
> -- 
> Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests"
>    {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh      PLINK: hazy     BIX: hazy
>  "Don't worry, 'bout a thing. 'Cause every little thing, 
>   gonna be alright"  -Bob Marley
 
 
SOB!!!!!!!! It looks like I will be bitten again. Having purchased a
2000-A Amiga when they first came out and found that I had bought an
orphan I got a 2000-B. Added a 2058 card and when I found I couldn't do
without a hard drive any more decided to get a 2091. But Commodore here
in NZ are still selling the 2090a only. Not trusting to get hardware
from overseas I decided after much research to get my second choice
locally i.e a GVP Series II /RAM. I have to say it has performed
flawlessly but it is the only card in the slots. A few replies to my
net-question gave positive noises on the Series II (except for Matt C)
who warned me off the GVP. But because of our mail system I had the
card. 
Now I hope to get either a 2630 or GVP3001 accelerator board. I hope
that the Series II is not incompatible with them?
Any info gratefully received as local distributor guaranteed full
compatability.
PS I am still impressed with the card and the speed of it. Its just I
don't want to back myself into a corner like I did with the 2000-A.
Thanks